A/N: A shorter chapter this time and another cliffhanger. Sorry!
Chapter 14
Saturday 12th January 2008
The next few months pass without much incident. Harry and Ruth grow closer and by January, their relationship rivals what it had been before they had attended the Havensworth conference; before they had embarked on a romantic relationship. He talks to her about work, something he knows he probably shouldn't do, but he finds he needs her insight and her analytical skills. Ruth, in turn, enjoys the challenge and enjoys being the one Harry turns to and confides in. So much so that she is considering asking him about returning to work.
On a more personal level, Harry and Anna remain in a relationship. Harry knows there is no future in it and knows that he should end it but somehow he doesn't have the incentive to do so as Ruth is still seeing Stephen. They've been out a few times since their first dinner, but Harry has yet to meet him. If he's dropped Ruth off after a date he hasn't accompanied her into the house whilst Harry has been watching Matthew.
One particular Saturday night, Stephen and Ruth are enjoying a meal at Kettner's Brasserie, whilst Jo is babysitting. Ruth had asked Harry but he was already booked to attend a work reception with Anna. Apparently it's a big night for her firm; the announcement of the new partner and from what Harry had said, Ruth got the impression that Anna was one of the candidates
Ruth and Stephen's conversation is flowing well, as it always does; Stephen may not be quite her intellectual equal, but most of the time it doesn't seem to matter. They have finished their starters and waiting on their main courses when Ruth's phone rings. She retrieves it from her clutch bag with an apologetic look at Steve and tries not to panic when she sees Jo's name on the caller display.
"Sorry, it's the babysitter," she explains to Steve. "I'll just…" she indicates to the corridor near the toilets and moves there to answer the phone. "Jo?"
"Ruth, I'm sorry to ring but I think you need to come home."
"Why? What's wrong?" She can hear Matthew screaming in the background and begins to panic.
"Matthew isn't very well at all; he's been sick 3 times in the last hour and can't even keep water down. He's got a temperature, I'm having to strip him down to cool him off and- oh God!"
"What?!"
"He's got a rash Ruth; all over his stomach."
"I'm on my way."
Ruth arrives home twenty minutes later, having said a rushed goodbye to Stephen and hailed a taxi outside the restaurant; it had cost her a fortune but money wasn't an issue when her son was sick.
She finds Jo in the living room, trying to cool Matthew down with a wet towel. He's still screaming. "Oh my baby," she cries, taking him gently from Jo and looking him over.
"An ambulance is on the way," Jo explains and Ruth looks at her wide-eyed. "I called NHS direct and when I told them his symptoms they asked me to press a glass onto his rash and see if it disappeared. It didn't. So they said they'd send one."
Ruth doesn't have time to reply as blue flashing lights outside indicate the arrival of the ambulance. Two paramedics, a man and a woman, bustle in to Ruth's flat and examine Matthew. They take his temperature: 38.5 degrees; examine his rash, and shine a light in his eyes which he squints at and shies away from, crying louder.
"We need to get him to a hospital straight away," the female paramedic says. The male nods and picks Matthew up to take him to the ambulance.
"What do you think is wrong with him?" Ruth asks, following and already fearing the worst.
The female paramedic stops and turns around. She wears a grave expression and puts a hand on Ruth's shoulder. "He's displaying all the symptoms of meningitis."